Santa Maria degli Angeli

(1569-1679, effectively rebuilt in 1832) 


Image courtesy of Paolo Rossi

In the aftermath of the Council of Trent, Pope Pius V was anxious to revive the tradition of pilgrimage to sites such as the Portiuncula, the tiny chapel that St Francis had loved.  He ordered that a huge new church should be built, with the Portiuncula preserved somewhat incongruously in its domed crossing.

The friars' choir behind the Portiuncula and part of the convent were demolished, along with a number of private oratories that had been built nearby.  Many of the owners of these oratories were given side chapels in the new church.  The chapel that had been built on the site of the infirmary in which St Francis had died was incorporated to the right of the new presbytery as the Cappella del Transito.

The papal architect Vignola approved the design of Galeazzo Alessi in 1568 and Bishop Filippo Geri laid the foundation stone on 25th March 1569.  There was however considerable opposition to the plans, and construction took more than a century.

By the end of the 16th century, even before the new church was completed, some 100,000 pilgrims visited it each year, many of them on the Festa del Perodon (August 1st and 2nd), when they could receive the Portiuncula Indulgence.  New infrastructure was clearly needed to cope with them.  The Medici family had a history in this department:

  • In 1450, Cosimo de' Medici provided for the building of an aqueduct to bring water to the convent.

  • In 1486, Lorenzo de' Medici paid for its renovation.

  • In 1526, Pope Clement VII (Giuliano de' Medici) had commissioned a small fountain in 1526.  (It  can still be seen, replete with the Medici arms, in the wall of the building opposite the left wall of the church).

The Medici family continued in this role:

  • In 1610, they commissioned the much larger fountain opposite, on the left wall of the church, opposite that of Pope Clement VII.  It has  26 spouts and also bears the Medici arms . 

  • In 1615-20, they commissioned the palace in Piazza Garibaldi to house the Capitano del Perdono, the official who supervised the pilgrims during the Festa del Perdono.

An earthquake in 1832 destroyed the vaulting of the nave of Alessi's church, although the apse and dome and many of the original altarpieces survived.  The rest was rebuilt essentially to Alessi's design. 

In 1909, Pope Pius X raised the church to a "patriarchal basilica and papal chapel", the high altar was rebuilt and a papal throne was added.  The façade was rebuilt in 1928. 

Side Chapels

The city of Perugia originally planned to take over the Cappella della madonna del Rosario (the 5th on the left.  However, they exchanged this for the larger Cappella  di Sant' Antonio di Padova later the Cappella del SS Sacramento (to the right of the left transept),  in 1624.

The side chapels of Santa Maria degli Angeli contain some important Mannerist paintings.

Cappella di Sant' Antonio Abate (1st on the right)

The Confraternità di Sant' Antonio Abate acquired this chapel in 1664.  Giacomo Giorgetti painted the altarpiece (1670) of St Antony Abbot.

Cappella di San Giovanni Battista (2nd on the right)

This chapel belonged to the Locatelli family, who financed its decoration from the estate of Bernardino Locatelli (died 1602).  Cesare Sermei painted:

  • the altarpiece,which depicts the Baptism of Christ; and

  • the panels on the walls and the frescoes in the vaults, which depict scenes from the life of St John the Baptist.

Cappella di Sant' Anna (3rd on the right)

This chapel belonged to the  Fiumi-Roncalli family. 

  • Cristoforo Roncalli painted the altarpiece (ca. 1602) of the Birth of the Virgin; and 

  • Antonio Circignani painted the frescoes (ca. 1602), which depict scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin.

Cappella di San Pio V (4th on the right)

This chapel was dedicated to Pope Pius V, the pope who had commissioned the construction of the new church.  Baldassarre Croce painted the frescoes (ca. 1602) in this chapel , which depict:

  • scenes from the life of the Virgin (in the vaults); and

  • scenes from the life of St Francis (on the walls), including two of scenes that relate to the granting of the Portiuncula Indulgence.

Cappella delle Stimmate (2nd on the left)

This chapel, which belonged to the Franciscan Third Order, was decorated in 1630:

  • Giacomo Giorgetti painted:

    • the altarpiece of the Stigmatisation of St Francis;

    • the verification of the Stigmata (on the left wall); and

    • Tertiaries taking the Franciscan habit (in the vault).

  • Cesare Sermei painted:

    • St Clare grieving over the body of St Francis (on the right wall);

    • the Approval of the Franciscan Rule (in the vault); and

    • St Francis welcomed in Heaven (also in the vault).

Cappella della Deposizione (3rd on the left)

This chapel, which belonged to the Breccia-Vigilanti family, was decorated in 1602:

  • Baldassare Croce painted:

    • the altarpiece of the Deposition; and

    • St Clare taking the habit (in the vaults).  

  • Ventura Salimbene painted another two frescoes in the vaults:

    • the Resurrection; and

    • Pope Innocent IV visiting the dying St Clare.

Crypt

A door in the right transept leads to the sacristy and to the crypt, which was built in 1968 to expose the remains of the first conventual buildings that were discovered at that time.

Sacristy

A door in the left-hand side of the right transept leads to a corridor, with the sacristy opposite.  The painting to the right of the entrance of the Redeemer (16th century) is attributed to Berto di Giovanni.

Continue along the corridor to the Cappella delle Rose and the Museo della Portiuncula.